Process and installation for the manufacture of narrow fabrics, in particular patterned label ribbons

ABSTRACT

A process and an apparatus for the manufacture of narrow fabrics include manufacturing a wide fabric run with hollow fabric areas extending along predefined cutting lines, wherein each hollow fabric area is manufactured by providing a front fabric portion and a rear fabric portion, and wherein the edges of the front and rear fabric portions are connected to each other to form a hollow space. The fabric run is cut along the cutting lines such that the front and rear fabric portions are not connected to one another.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of fabricribbons, in particular patterned label ribbons wherein individualribbons are cut out of a wide fabric run containing hollow fabric areasalong pre-defined cutting lines as well as to an installation forconducting the process according to the part of claim 15 describing thebackground art.

Processes and installations of the type mentioned above are known fromseveral sources, e.g. from EP-OS 0 389793. With these known processesand the corresponding installation the meltable fabric run is cutthermally by means of a cutting element in the form of a cutting wire.The melted mass resulting from the cutting operation at the cut producesa relatively hard and rough bead which impairs the appearance and thehandling of the cut fabrics. In EP-OS 0 389 793 the attempt is made toavoid these disadvantages in that the edge areas of the fabrics with themelted selvedges are folded over along folding lines parallel to theselvedge which are located in a hollow area of the fabric, therebyforming folding legs, whereupon the folding legs are glued to theadjoining surface zones of the associated fabric strip. For this purposethe parts, which are positioned one above the other, are hot-pressed,whereby the inlaid melting thread melts and produces the fixation. Ofdisadvantage in this instance is the fact that the edge area isrelatively thick because it is formed by a folded hollow area of thefabric run, i.e. in the selvedge area four parts of the fabric run arelocated on top of one another.

The objective of the invention is to devise a process and an apparatusfor the manufacture of narrow fabrics, in particular of patterned labelfabrics, such that the aforementioned disadvantages are avoided.

In accordance with the present invention, the process includesmanufacturing the fabric run with hollow fabric areas, wherein thehollow fabric areas are arranged along the cutting lines, and cuttingthe fabric run along the cutting lines, such that front parts and rearparts of the hollow fabric areas are not connected with one another.

Due to the fact that the hollow fabric areas of the fabric run arearranged along the cutting lines, and that the cutting of the fabric runtakes place along the cutting lines and hence along the hollow fabricareas such that the front parts, e.g. the ground fabric parts, and therear parts e.g. the figure fabric parts of the hollow fabric areas, arenot connected with one another, a soft thin cutting area ensues on thefabric selvedges. In the case of patterned woven fabric runs the figurefabric part in the hollow fabric area can be arranged on the back suchthat ground fabrics located at the front are not impaired by the cut.The cut ground fabric part is characterized by a homogeneity in thecolors of its ground fabric, i.e. without mixture with the colors of thefigure pick. A fabric of high quality is obtained.

The cutting areas can be improved by shortening of the rear part of thecut hollow fabric area so that, the cut selvedge becomes softer on therear of the fabric, due to which it is scarcely visible from the front,i.e. from the exterior side of the fabric. The fabric has a homogeneousand attractive appearance. A part of the hollow fabric area can easiestbe shortened by means of a cutting tool which is inclinedperpendicularly to the cutting line. The part of the hollow area can beshortened more when the part to be shortened is erected perpendicularlyto the plane of the ribbon and is shortened by means of an additionalcutting tool.

The quality, in particular the fineness of the cut area of the fabrics,can be improved further by folding of the rear part of the rear part ofthe cut hollow fabric area toward the center of the ribbon and gluingthe rear part to the part of the ribbon located underneath. In thisembodiment the gluing can be done by the application of an adhesive tothe part of the hollow area to be fastened. More advantageous is anembodiment in which a fabric run is manufactured which contains meltingand/or adhesive threads at least in the hollow fabric area. Inparticular through subsequent application of an adhesive, or throughmanufacture of the fabric run with weft threads arranged at least in thehollow fabric area which melt as a whole on the application of heatand/or pressure, and/or of adhesive threads with which a ground materialis provided with an adhesive coating that is activated on theapplication of heat and/or pressure, it is possible to manufacturefabric runs from non-thermoplastic material. In this context theadhesive and/or the melting and/or adhesive threads serve to solidifythe cut selvedges and/or to fasten a folded-over par of the hollowfabric area to the part of the fabric located.

In accordance with an especially advantageous embodiment of the presentinvention, a fabric run is manufactured of thermoplastic threads whichin the hollow fabric areas contains additional melting and/or adhesivethreads, wherein the melting temperature of the threads is lower thanthat of the other threads. In this case the thermoplastic threads of thefabric run permit solidification of the cutting area by the very thermalcutting. Due to the fact that the cut is made in the hollow area, theindividual parts of the fabric run are thinner, and resultant beads arealso smaller and finer so that they are scarcely troublesome. Inparticular, with a patterned fabric the colors of the ground fabric runare also scarcely impaired because no or only extremely slight mixing ofcolors occurs so that it is visually almost imperceivable. Hence, asupple cutting area on the ribbons ensues. Such ribbons arecharacterized by high-grade quality and are nearly equivalent to fabricswith woven or knitted selvedges. With fabric runs of thermoplasticthreads the quality of the ribbons can be improved further by themeasures already discussed above.

The fabric run can be cut by means of a mechanical cutting device whichcan be used on textile materials of non-synthetic as well as ofsynthetic, i.e. thermoplastic threads. In the latter case, however,cutting by means of a thermal cutting device is of greater advantagebecause an initial or lasting solidification of the cut threads againstfraying is obtained.

In accordance with another advantageous embodiment, the fixing of thecutting areas and/or connection of cut parts of the hollow fabric areasis accomplished by heating and pressing parts of the fabric run withthermoplastic threads.

Moreover, the cutting areas of the fabrics can be subjected to a formingprocess and/or a concluding thermofixing process to render the fabricsstress-free.

The individual steps of the process such as:

manufacture of the fabric run

cutting of the fabric run into ribbons and fixing of the cutting areas

forming of the cutting areas

thermofixing of the ribbons.

can be performed one at a time. It is of special advantage, however, forthe individual steps of the process to be conducted continuously in asingle work operation.

Generally, it is possible to manufacture and to use different types offabric runs, for example a fabric run of fiber vlies. Of particularadvantage is however the manufacture of a knitted and especially a wovenfabric run. In this case such a fabric run can be patterned.

Examples of embodiments of the object of the invention are described indetail on the basis of schematic drawings. Shown are:

FIG. 1 a diagram for the manufacture of narrow fabrics from a wovenfabric run in perspective view;

FIG. 2 a hollow fabric area oil a fabric run, in cross-sectional view;

FIG. 3 the hollow fabric area of FIG. 2 on thermal cutting, incross-sectional view;

FIG. 4 the cut hollow fabric area of FIG. 3 with the rear part of thehollow fabric area folded over, in cross-sectional view;

FIG. 5 the finished cut area of a narrow fabric, in cross-sectionalview; FIG. 6 an apparatus for the manufacture of narrow fabrics, invertical cross-sectional view;

FIG. 7 a mechanical cutting device, in side elevation view;

FIG. 8 another thermal cutting device, in side elevation view;

FIG. 9 a fabric run being cut with a V-shaped cutting element, incross-sectional view;

FIG. 10 a cut fabric run, the rear part of a hollow fabric area of whichis being

shortened in, partial cross-sectional view;

FIG. 11 a cut textile cloth fabric in partial cross-sectional view.

FIG. 1 shows schematically the manufacture of fabrics 2, 2a, 2b, 2c froma fabric run 4. The fabric run in this example is a woven fabric run,the construction of which is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 to 5. The fabricrun 4 consists of warp threads 6 and woven-in weft threads 8. The fabricis manufactured such that hollow fabric areas 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d areformed along the cutting lines 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d that are furnishedwith melting threads 14. The hollow fabric areas 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12dare formed by providing a lower or front fabric portion and an upper orrear fabric portion fabric portion, wherein the edges of the fabricportions are connected to each other to form a hollow space. The fabricrun manufactured in this manner is fed to a cutting device 16 equippedwith cutting elements 18, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d which consist e.g. ofheated cutting wires, and which cut the fabric run 4 along the cuttinglines 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10b such that the individual fabrics 2, 2a, 2b,2c are separated from one another by cutting lanes 20. The constructionof the woven fabric run 4 can be as shown, for example, by FIG. 2, warpthreads 6 being held together by weft threads 8 and forming a groundfabric 22. A hollow fabric area 12 is formed by weft threads 24 and warpthread 26 extending on the rear side of the ground fabric 22. The hollowfabric area can be interspersed with additional melting threads 14. Inaddition, the fabric run 4 shown in part view contains pattern weftthreads 28, 30 extending floating on the rear of the fabric run which inpart extend loosely through the hollow fabric area 12 and in part abovethe hollow fabric area 12.

FIG. 3 shows the thermal cutting of the fabric run by means of a cuttingelement 18 which is clamped in supporting arms 32, 34. The melt cuttingproceeds such that the front part 36 of the hollow fabric which isallocated to the ground fabric 22 is not connected with the rear part 38by the melt cutting. The melt cutting produces narrow cut surfaces 40with just as narrow beads 42 formed from the melt. After the cutting, asshown in FIG. 4 the rear parts 38 of the cut hollow fabric areas arefolded over toward the center of the associated fabric 2, 2a andconnected with the part of the fabric lying underneath, i.e. the groundfabric, by hot-pressing as shown in FIG. 5. As a result of the hot-pressing the melting threads 14 melt and form a melted mass 44 whichdiffuses into the adjoining threads, thereby connecting them together.

FIG. 6 shows an installation for conducting the manufacturing processfor fabrics 2, 2a, 2b, 2c indicated in FIG. 1. The apparatus contains aweaving area 46 with warp threads 6 guided by heddles, 48 as well asmelting threads, by means of which process a shed 50 is formed intowhich weft thread 8 is inserted and beat up to a beat-up edge by a reed52. The weaving machine is controlled in a known manner such that hollowareas are produced in the fabric run along the defined cutting lines. Afabric hold-down device 56 serves to guide the woven fabric run 4 to athermal cutting device 16, by means of which the fabric run 4 is cutinto ribbons 2 which are taken off by a fabric take-off device 58 and afabric beam not shown. The fabric take-off device 58 contains a firstdeflector roll 60, a take-off roll 62, as well as further deflectorrolls 64, 66. It is additionally equipped with a thermofixing device 68.The latter contains a pad 72 which is heated by a heater 70.

On a support 74 overreaching the fabric run 4 the cutting device 16 isequipped with brackets 76 holding carrying arms 32, 34 that support thecutting element 18 on their front end area which is pointed in thedirection of travel of the fabric run. Following the cutting device 16is a folding device 78 which folds the rear part 38 of the cut fabricrun toward the middle of the associated fabric: in accordance with theprocess step of FIG. 4. The individual folding elements 80 of thefolding device 78 are connected with the support 76 of the cuttingdevice 16 by means of arms 82.

The cut fabrics which are pre-treated in this manner are now fed to ahot pressing device 84 which is equipped with pressing rolls 88 for eachcutting area that are heated by a heater 86. The pressing rolls 88interacting with the deflector roll 60 of the fabric take-off device 58are supported on pivoted arms 90 which are connected via a joint withbracket 92, which in turn is fastened to a support 94 overreaching thecut fabrics. A spring 96 serves to pre-stress the pressing rolls 88against the deflector roll 60. By means of this hot pressing device 84the rear parts 38 of the hollow fabric areas 12 can be connected withthe associated other parts of the fabric as is shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows a mechanical cutting device 98 with a stationary shearingblade 102 fastened to a bracket 100 and a movable shearing blade 104.The latter is movably mounted on a shaft 106 and is driven via a drivencam 108 and a coupling link 110. The mechanical cutting device 98 hassuch a cutting tool 112, consisting of the shear blades 102, 104 foreach cutting line. The individual cutting tools are arranged on asupport 114 overreaching the fabrics.

FIG. 8 shows a further thermal cutting device 116 which is equipped witha nozzle 118 for each cutting line to which a hot medium is supplied viaa line 120 that is blown through the fabric run 4 toward an intakefunnel 122, as a result of which the thermoplastic fabric run 4 is cutinto ribbons 2.

FIG. 9 shows the cutting of the fabric run 4 by means of a V-shapedcutting element 124. This process produces a V-shaped cut, having theeffect that the rear parts 126 of the hollow area 12 is shortenedrelative to the front part 128 formed by the ground fabric, that it isretracted toward the middle of the ribbon.

FIG. 10 shows a further example of an embodiment of the presentinvention for shortening the rear part 130 of the cut hollow fabric area12 of a fabric run 4. For this purpose the cutting device 132 contains adevice 134 for erecting the rear part 130 of the hollow fabric area 12,for which purpose this erecting device 134 is equipped with suctionnozzles 136 which are allocated to the rear parts 130 of the cut hollowfabric area. The cutting device 132 also contains a cutting element 1140in the form of a resistance heating wire held by supports 138. The rearparts 130 of the hollow fabric area 12 can be shortened correspondinglywith the cutting device.

FIG. 11 shows a fabric run cut into ribbons 2, 2a, 2b, the rear parts126 of the hollow fabric areas 12 being cut e.g. according to FIG. 9 andthe rear parts 130 being shortened as per the device according to FIG.10. As a result the rear pads 126, 130 are set back from the cut surface142 of the ground fabric by the distances a₁ and a₂ respectively. FIG.11 also shows that the individual ribbons 2, 2a, 2b on the exterior side144 have a useful width b which is reduced by the width d of the cuttinglane 146 related to the cutting pitch t.

Many other examples of embodiments of the present invention arepossible. It is in particular possible to use fabric runs ofnon-synthetic material, in which case e.g. it is expedient to supplementthe folding device shown in FIG. 6 with a device for applying anadhesive between the rear part of the ribbon and the ground fabric of aribbon. The adhesive can then be distributed or hardened on the hotpressing device 84, thereby also enabling non-synthetic textilematerials to be cut and provided with cut areas resistant to fraying.

I claim:
 1. A process for the manufacture of narrow fabrics, the process comprising manufacturing a wide fabric run with hollow fabric areas extending along predefined cutting lines, each hollow fabric area being manufactured by providing a front fabric portion and a rear fabric portion, the front fabric portion and the rear fabric portion having edges, wherein the edges of the front and rear fabric portions are connected to each other to form a hollow space, cutting the fabric run along the cutting lines such that the front and rear fabric portions are not connected to one another, and laterally shortening the rear fabric portions of the cut hollow fabric areas relative to the front fabric portions.
 2. The process according to claim 1, comprising shortening each rear fabric portion by means of a cutting tool which is inclined perpendicularly relative to the cutting line.
 3. The process according to claim 1, comprising erecting the rear fabric portion to be cut perpendicularly relative to a plane of the fabric run and shortening the rear fabric portion by means of an additional cutting tool.
 4. The process according to claim 1, comprising folding over each rear fabric portion after cutting toward a center of each narrow fabric, and connecting each folded-over rear fabric portion to the adjacent fabric run.
 5. The process according to claim 1, comprising manufacturing a fabric run which contains at least one of melting threads and adhesive threads at least in the hollow fabric areas.
 6. The process according to claim 1, comprising manufacturing a fabric run of thermoplastic threads, and manufacturing the hollow fabric areas with at least one of additional melting threads and adhesive threads, wherein the additional threads have a melting temperature which is lower than a melting temperature of the thermoplastic threads.
 7. The process according to claim 1, comprising cutting the fabric run by means of a mechanical cutting device.
 8. The process according to claim 1, comprising cutting the fabric run by means of a thermal cutting device comprising a hot cutting element.
 9. The process according to claim 1, comprising fixing of cutting areas and connecting cut parts of the hollow fabric areas by heating and pressing parts of the fabric run having thermoplastic threads.
 10. The process according to claim 1, comprising thermofixing the narrow fabrics as a final step of the process.
 11. The process according to claim 1, comprising carrying out individual process steps continuously in a single work operation.
 12. The process according to claim 1, comprising manufacturing a knitted or woven fabric run.
 13. The process according to claim 1, comprising manufacturing a patterned knitted or woven fabric run having floating designs with threads on the rear of the fabric run extending freely at least one of through and over the hollow fabric areas.
 14. An apparatus for manufacturing narrow fabrics, the apparatus comprising a device for manufacturing a wide fabric run with hollow fabric areas extending along predefined cutting lines, each hollow fabric area having a front fabric portion and rear fabric portion, each fabric portion having edges, wherein the edges of the front and rear fabric portions are connected to each other to form a hollow space, and a cutting device for cutting the fabric run along the cutting lines into single narrow fabrics such that the front and rear fabric portions are not connected to one another and the rear fabric portion is shorter than the front fabric portion.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cutting device comprises mechanical cutting means with cutting tools for each cutting line.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cutting device comprises thermal cutting means with cutting elements for each cutting line.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a device for erecting cut parts of the hollow fabric areas perpendicular to a plane of the cut narrow fabric, and an additional cutting device for shortening the erected cut parts of the hollow fabric areas.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a device for folding over cut parts of the hollow fabric areas toward a center of each narrow fabric.
 19. The apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a hot pressing device for the cut hollow fabric areas.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 14, comprising forming devices for cut edges of the narrow fabric.
 21. The apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a thermofixing device for the narrow fabrics.
 22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is constructed in the form of a loom. 